Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.

arthera09 Being that this is a collection of short films it is hard to grade this together. I hated the second one. I loved the first one. I find the third one OK. The first one was the only one that had an emotional core that got a striking visual representation. The did not feel like it had anything to do with Tokyo and could have taken place in any other city. The other thing about the second movie is that it had seemingly little to do with Tokyo or the people at all. I felt really disappointed with this one. It might have been OK as a stand alone short film, but as a part of a collection called Tokyo it was worthless. I was interested in the character and his motivations, but I got no closure about anything at the end of it all. The third one was alright, but it felt empty. The one character was interesting and I related to him quite a bit and the idea that everyone became a recluse was startling and made the short film resonate quite a bit. It was slow and then the character arc moved too quickly. They spent a lot of time building up the character and within a short period of time he is running about the streets trying to get everyone out of the house. The first film was my favorite and it really was the only one of the three that deserved to really be labeled as Tokyo!. There were some real characters going through some real problems and ended with a very fantastical way that really expanded on the character. Since the story was so grounded in quite a few ways in reality the transformation really was shocking. I really enjoyed it and it was definitely the strongest of the three films.The fact that I had some pretty mixed reactions to the three different films it makes it hard to give an overall score that represents the film as a whole.

Film Chaser First I'd like to mention that I disagree with the comparison between 'Tokyo!' and 'Paris, je t'aime'. Yes they are both triptych films, but the similarities end there. The film sits more comfortably alongside triptych films such as: Three... Extremes (Horror) and Eros (Love and Sex). If you want to see something like 'Paris, je t'aime' you won't find it here. With that being said--on to the review.(Spoilers Start Here)The first of the trio of short films start's with 'Interior Design' directed by Michel Gondrey. I won't give to much away (for those that haven't seen it) but the film deals with being made to feel useless, in a society that values vocation/social status above a persons true value.If you're a fan of Gondrey, then this is a must see. The film itself felt like it came up a little short (no pun intended) of Gondrey's usual work. But, the ending of the film makes up for the films flaws/short comings. ***6 out of 10 stars***Second of these three films is 'Merde' by director Leos Carax (of whom I haven't seen any of his previous films). Merde is a very baffling and funny film about a man (Merde) with a red beard, one milky eye, very long fingernails and green suit. Merde comes out of the sewers every so often and terrorizes the citizens of Japan, he speaks his own language and no one knows where he comes from. Basically the film follows Merde through his capture and trail in the Japanese courts. I can't say that I loved this film, but what I can say, is that I found myself laughing throughout this absurd piece of art and... in spite of myself I couldn't take my eyes of the screen. ***7 out of 10 stars****Finally, the last film of this trio is 'Shaking Tokyo' by director Joon-ho Bong. The film centers around the bizarre Japanese phenomenon of hikikomori: people that choose to become hermits because of their inability to deal with social pressure. The film follows one such hikikomori that thinks he may have found his true love. The twist is that he must face his fears and leave his house to find her and stop her from becoming a hikikomori herself.Of the three shorts in 'Tokyo!' I liked 'Shaking Tokyo' most. I'd seen Joon-ho Bong's 'The Host' and really didn't like it, but he's won me back with this little jewel of a film. He really has a gift with taking things of cultural significance and making them interesting (Host included). The characters of 'Shaking Tokyo' are beautifully written and acted. It has more of a complete story arc than the other two films as well. And, I felt that it is the only of the three that I would have enjoyed as a full length feature film. For me this one makes 'Tokyo!' even worth having in my DVD collection. ****9 out of 10 stars*****Overall, if you're looking for a excursion into the strange, funny and thought provoking, this film is for you. There's something for everybody to like here. Also, if you enjoyed this film I'd suggest watching 'Eros' and 'Three Extremes' as well.

leegaccmovies I can honestly say I've never seen a film quite like Tokyo!. It's extraordinary in its scope and themes of love, identity, and purpose. Three different filmmakers: Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine...), Leos Carax, and Joon Ho Bong direct this triptych containing three different stories centered in the city of Tokyo!. All three stories do a great job conveying what it feels like to be a small fish in a big pond. The first film, Interior Design, is about a couple moving to Tokyo and trying to fit in. The second, and my favorite, is called Merde, and to explain it does not do it enough justice. You just have to watch it. The final story, Shaking Tokyo!, is a strange love story, but it works well with the city itself. The film is so unique, it must be viewed by everyone! Go see it!

www.ramascreen.com When you watch a 3 in 1 movie like this, you run the risk of liking one story and not liking the other but TOKYO! overall is a trippy ride into three movie watching experience unlike you've ever seen before. You may not enjoy every one of them but... it will impress you. A great collaboration but ends up with the big question of 'what's the purpose of all this?' You're going to try to connect the theme for one with theme for the other because each movie does a good job of making you feel like they're separate entity when they're actually one big metaphorical imaginative trinity.If I had to choose, I'd say the first two segments are my favorite. Michel Gondry's INTERIOR DESIGN is sad but in a really creative way. Gondry has been known to possess the ability to surprise us with weird visuals that compliment the characters and the story itself and INTERIOR DESIGN isn't far from that either. The two leads are looking for apartment and you get to see some of the most interesting spaces, and just like some of those spaces, the female character feels useless like she has no purpose at all, the boyfriend's accusation of her not having an ambition just makes things worse.I like how the story implies that even the most supposedly useless thing around like a chair could be so useful.There's a part where the woman slowly turns into a chair and it is absolutely downright amazing for a movie like this to have such great visual effects. Whatever Gondry was smoking, it sure as hell worked.The second movie, MERDE, by director Leos Carax, is quite possibly the funniest of all the the three. The story of the sewage monster man with his own language will shock you and crack you up at the same time. I don't recommend eating while watching this cause some of you might throw up at the sight of his filthy look. It's got enough humor and weirdness that will keep you curious as to what this is all about. Very entertaining especially the odd twist at the execution scene.But it's also a lesson in tolerance and understanding one another.The third movie, SHAKING TOKYO, directed by Bong Joon-Ho, is probably my least favorite one but it doesn't mean it couldn't hold his own ground. It's still a very original take on OCD, loneliness and the desperate attempt to connect. The actor who plays the man who isolates himself gives an outstanding performance without having to do much at all because it all works on his inner monologue. Will fear of uncertainties keep people locked up inside or is the only way to fight is to simply live without worry? I like how the movie plays with excessive light to illustrate discomfort that comes with taking chances in great lengths just to live again.TOKYO! is a masterpiece that doesn't beg for any reward, it simply wants to prove that film-making can be a simple as this and still be artful, profound, and entertaining all at once. And no matter how much we try to deny it, the fact remains.. people matter.--Rama's SCREEN--